BEYOND SELF STORAGE

The Woodlawn Self Storage project features an indoor climate-controlled loading and unloading drive-in area, a conference room, and a management leasing office. The project came with numerous design challenges. The goal was to build a self-storage facility with the maximum allowable square footage and minimal setbacks on a small site. This was further complicated by a jurisdiction with specific code amendments restricting self-storage use and by land with contaminated soil conditions that required mitigation.

The original site previously housed a manufacturing warehouse and office space. A key requirement from the owner was to reuse as much of the existing foundation as possible and to minimize disturbance to existing on-grade structures, which were critical to the project’s feasibility. studioNorth collaborated with multiple engineering disciplines to assess the existing concrete slab and foundations for compatibility with the new self-storage facility. Additionally, local regulations required creative solutions for on-site stormwater management and fire department access around the entire building, both of which were challenging design constraints but ultimately contributed to the project’s success.